Child Of The Tet
by GuesssWho
Summary: What if Mordred didn't change until the ka-tet cared for him already?
1. Chapter 1

Child of the Tet

What if Mordred didn't change until the ka-tet cared for him already? What if his first prey deserved it?

Based on the wonderful 'verse made by sai King. Thankee, kas-ka Gan. Thankee big.

* * *

"I didn't expect him to be this . . . _nice_."

"None of us did, Jake." Roland sighed. "It's harder to kill a child in any case, but if he showed any signs of being evil it would make things easier."

Eddie raised an eyebrow "He looks like he's a year old, and we just left Fedic a week ago. That's not a sign?"

"Strange isn't evil, dear," Susannah reminded him.

"My Mordred is a good boy!"

"Yes, Mia, he is. That's why we're confused." Eddie frowned. "Hey, where did he go?"

"Babies have a way of running off," said Susannah. "And he can crawl pretty fast already. I'll go look."

"I think we have a bigger problem than that," said Roland suddenly, and he pointed.

Mordred was floating away, as if being taken by someone who was

(_Dim_)

not quite there.

Eddie cursed. "Marten."

And Marten was standing there, holding baby Mordred. Little Mordred looked up at the strange face and began to cry.

"Caught me. Shame you're a bit too late to do anything 'bout it." And indeed, the man in black was holding a knife to the little throat. "Can you shoot before I kill the bah-bo, Roland? Can any of you?"

Roland looked like he might well try. But before he could, Mordred started to glow

(_crimson_)

red, like he was on fire inside. Dark holes opened along his sides, and long thin limbs telescoped out. His hands became flexible claws, his feet became sharp spikes. The birthmark on his heel seemed to migrate to his stomach, his skin charred black. Extra eyes grew along his forehead.

In moments the unfortunate Walter o' Dim was holding something that was almost a spider. Its body was the same size as the baby had been, and its mouth was humanlike aside from the fangs and lack of lips, but otherwise it was a female black widow.

And before anyone had time to react to the change, it was ripping the older demon's throat out. It latched on and drank the blood that spurted out, then proceeded to use its venom to liquify what was left. What was left after that soon blew away in the wind.

"Yummy!" Baby Mordred, human once more, giggled and clapped. A moment later he was picked up by an ecstatic Mia, who started babbling about her darling's first word. The others looked slightly stunned.

"He's not that bad, is he?" said Jake eventually.

"Well," said Eddie, "that explains a few things. Lets try not to upset the kid, okay?"

* * *

Next Morning:

"He's unusually alert today," said Susannah thoughtfully.

"Well, he did say his first word yesterday afternoon," Jake replied.

Eddie was looking at little Mordred with a soft frown. "What if that's how he grows?"

"What?" Susannah asked, confused.

"What if he needs to eat people to reach milestones?"

Roland laughed harshly. "Then we'll have a few less bodies along our backtrail, Eddie Dean."


	2. Chapter 2

Based still on the wonderful 'verse made by sai King. Thankee, kas-ka Gan. Thankee big.

* * *

A Timeless Time Later:

The Tower rose above them, at long last. And looking down was a king in crimson.

Mordred grinned up at him. "Hile, redaddy."

"Mordred, help me."

The boy looked at him for an endless moment, and the worlds trembled. And then he laughed, an almost boyish laugh-save for the hints of horror and madness in it. "And bring about the end of all our choices? Nay, redaddy."

"How dare you! I am Los', I am the Crimon King!"

"Lost you be indeed. Old fool, don't you know what _I_ am? I am the last, best meeting of Prim, Am, Gan and Gilead. I am the spider in the rooms of ruin. I am the Weaver who shall make the Beams anew. I come from the Clearing and I'm headed to the End of every Path. I am the king to be, when at long last Discordia's time is come.

"You could've waited for it, Father mine. Discordia is inevitable, don't you know that? You just had to be patient. But instead you were foolish. And so I am taking your throne, to be a better king. The Red Empress once named you Her favorite son, but Atlach-Nacha calls me now instead. When Discordia comes you will not be a part of it. I am thy heir, and I have spoken."

Mordred held out a hand, and Roland put a gun in it. The tet fired as one when the Horn blew.


End file.
